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Your Views Sunday, April 15

My text on school law, “Public School Law,” states: “Teacher strikes, except in limited situations in a few states, are illegal and punishable by dismissal, fines, and/or imprisonment.” It also says, “Courts consistently have upheld ‘no strike' laws and generally denied the right to strike unless it has been affirmatively granted by the state.” Oklahoma is not one of the few states that have granted a statutory right to strike.

So why no fuss over the teacher walkout? Why no enforcement of the law? While it might seem that “walkout” is the preferred term and maybe the reason for the lack of enforcement of the law, the reality is that there was no walkout, no strike, no violation of the law. Your locally elected boards of education saw to that. There can be no walkout, no strike, no violations of the law on days when there is no school and because the boards of education very carefully cancelled classes a day or more ahead of teacher absenteeism, teachers receive protection.

Boards of education have the role of protecting the interest of students and parents. As elected officials, every board member should be held to that standard and made to explain to their voters whose interest they were watching when cancelling classes.

William Edwards, Oklahoma City

Districts have cut plenty

The argument has been made that the answer to Oklahoma's education problems is not increased taxes but rather using more cost-saving measures. I would answer that districts have. In my district, we first cut elementary sports and other after-school programs. Then funds for library books were cut. Then textbook funds were cut. Next came classes such as second- and third-level language classes. We started doing our own custodial care. After losing teacher after teacher, more extra-curricular classes that might appeal to those students who didn't like school or classes for those students who needed more enrichment were cut. Many other measures were taken but the red line was crossed when the need for emergency certification for teachers rose dramatically in the last year. Public education was in trouble. Since 2008 there has been a 26 percent loss in funds directed to the children of Oklahoma. Cost-cutting measures have been taken with a definite toll to our students.

Sandra Austin, Midwest City

Education reform needed

When you give every teacher a pay raise, you then insult good teachers and reward the bad. Giving bad teachers pay raises drags down good teachers. We don't need to pay every teacher more money, we need education reform now. Citizens must demand legislators reform the broken education system. Not doing so means we will be talking about how things are bad for the rest of our lives.

Richard Prawdzienski, Edmond

Kudos to Gundy

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As a retired police officer, I applaud Mike Gundy's decision to fund the placement of campus resource officers in every school in Stillwater where there currently is none. His actions are admirable because they benefit law enforcement and students. I'm also impressed by how Gundy chose to get involved in current events surrounding education. Rather than show up with an entourage of pomp and publicity, as certain other well-known activists are prone to do, Coach Gundy decided to humbly put his own money where his mouth is. He provided a much-needed service to the school system where he and his family live.

Celebrities and icons who dominate news with their loud, abrasive speeches and spotlight-grabbing antics seem only to be looking to turn such events into their own personal photo op. Kudos to Mike for not making this about him, but instead setting an example with his appreciated contribution.

Paul Burley, Piedmont

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Your View -- Letter to the Editor

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